Facilitating automatic execution of user interactions in a virtual space

ABSTRACT

A system and method for facilitating automatic execution of user interaction in a virtual space are disclosed. For such facilitations, interactions initiated by users may be monitored and examined. The examination of the user interactions may be made based on various parameters that depend on user interaction levels in the virtual space. Based on results of such examinations, user interactions to be automatically executed in the virtual space while the users are not participating in the virtual space may be determined. In some examples, such determinations may be based on the user interaction levels in the virtual space and/or one or more virtual items and/or real-world currencies spent by the users for the automatic execution of the user interactions.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

This disclosure relates to facilitating automatic execution of userinteractions on behalf a user in a virtual space while the user is notparticipating in the virtual space, the automatic execution of the userinteractions being facilitated based on information regarding userinteractions with the virtual space while the users participating in thevirtual space, a level of the user in the virtual space, and/or otherbasis.

BACKGROUND

Systems that facilitate automatic execution of system commands areknown. Those systems typically enable administrators of the systems toschedule automatic execution of the system commands via scripts. Forexample, “crontab” is a well-known utility provided by Unix systems tofacilitate automatic execution of system commands contained in scripts.Virtual space systems that facilitate user advancements through levelingare known. In those virtual space systems, users of the virtual spaceare typically enabled to advance to the next level upon completion ofone or more goals, objectives, missions, and/or a number of pointsrequired by the previous level in the virtual space.

SUMMARY

One aspect of the disclosure relates to facilitating automatic executionof user interactions on behalf of users of a virtual space while theusers are not participating in the virtual space. For determining whichuser interactions should be automatically executed, interactions withthe virtual space by the users while participating in the virtual spacemay be monitored. In some examples, the determination of userinteractions to be automatically executed on behalf of a given user maybe based on an interaction level of the given user such that theautomatic execution of the user interactions for the given user may beenhanced as the given user's interaction level advances in the virtualspace. This may make the user interactions executed automatically whilethe user is not participating in the game more valuable or useful to theuser, as the interaction level of the user increases.

A system configured to facilitate automatic user interactions in avirtual space may include a server. The server may operate in aclient/server architecture with one or more client computing platforms.The client computing platforms may be associated with the users of thevirtual space. The server may be configured to execute one or more of aspace module, user module, user interaction module, automatic actiondetermination module, automatic action execution module, and/or othermodules.

The space module may be configured to implement the instance of thevirtual space executed by the computer modules to determine state of thevirtual space for further processing and/or presentation on a clientcomputer platform associated with the given user. Participation in theinstance of the virtual space may be initiated by virtual space commandsinput by users through client computing platforms. The virtual spacecommands may be executed in the virtual space such that userinteractions with the virtual space may be effectuated. For example, auser may input commands to undertake specific deeds, actions, functions,sphere of actions, and/or any other user interactions with the virtualspace. Within the instance of virtual space, levels may be establishedto facilitate and/or incentivize user advancements in the virtual space.A user may advance to a next virtual space level when a certain goal hasbeen reached, an end condition has been fulfilled by the user in thevirtual space, the user has acquired a number of virtual points and/orany other conditions for level advancement by the user are met.Advancements in user levels typically result in attribute boosts, skillboosts, resistance boosts, higher status, and/or any other userprogressions in the virtual space.

The user module may be configured to manage user accounts associatedwith the individual users. The user accounts may include user parametersrelated to the users. The user accounts may include a first user accountassociated with the first user that includes a first set of userparameters related to the first user. The first user account may includeuser information indicating an interaction level of the first user,which may reflect an amount of interactions with the virtual space bythe first user.

The user interaction module may be configured to monitor interactions ofthe users with the virtual space and/or with one another within thevirtual space. This may include monitoring, for a given user, one ormore of times at which the given user is logged in to the virtual space,areas of the virtual space the given user views or interacts with or in,other users the given user interacts with, the nature and/or content ofinteractions of the given user with other users, activities participatedin within the virtual space, level, powers, or skill attained in thevirtual space, inventory items obtained in the virtual space, and/orother interactions of the given user with the virtual space and/or otherusers.

The user interaction module may be configured to obtain user interactioninformation reflecting previous user interactions with the virtual spacefor a given user. The obtained user interaction information for thegiven user may indicate interactions by the given users during a pastreal-world time period or virtual space period. In some exemplaryimplementations, user interaction module may be configured to determinepatterns of user interactions with the virtual space based on theobtained user interaction information. The patterns of user interactionsdetermined by the user interaction module may reflect routines thatappeared in the user interactions, playing styles by which the usersinteract with the virtual space, one or more user actions undertaken byusers with certain frequencies, and/or any other patterns of the userinteractions with the virtual space. In some examples, the determinationof the patterns of user interactions by the user interaction module maybe based on interaction levels of the users in the virtual space. Forexample, for a given user, parameters for examining the userinteractions for determining patterns of the given user's interactionswith the virtual space may be determined based on the interaction levelof the given user.

The automatic action determination module may be configured to determineuser interactions to be automatically executed in the virtual space onbehalf of users while users are not participating in the virtual space.In some exemplary implementations, the determination of the automaticexecution of the user interaction by the automatic action determinationmodule may include a selection of one or more types of user interactionsto be automatically executed, a determination of a quantity of the userinteractions to be automatically executed, a determination of durationduring which the determined user interactions are to be so automaticallyexecuted, a determination of frequencies at which the determined userinteractions are to be automatically executed, and/or otherdeterminations. In some examples, such determinations by the automaticaction determination module may be made for the given user based on theinteraction level of the given user in the virtual space. In someexamples, such determinations by the automatic action determinationmodule may be made based on quantities of virtual and/or real-worlditems spent by the users for automatically executing the determined userinteractions.

In some exemplary implementations, the determinations of the userinteractions to be automatically executed in the virtual space on behalfof the users may be made based on the user interaction patternsdetermined by the user interaction module. For example, the userinteraction pattern determined by the user interaction module for agiven user may indicate a routine undertaken by the given user. In thatexample, the determination of the automatic execution of the userinteractions by the automatic action determination module may be basedon such a routine. For instance, user interactions of certaininteraction types in this routine, e.g., gathering and harvesting, maybe determined by the automatic action determination module to beautomatically executed in the virtual space while the given user notparticipating in the virtual space.

The automatic action execution module may be configured to automaticallyexecute, in the virtual space, the user interactions determined by theautomatic action determination module. In some exemplaryimplementations, such automatic executions of user interactions for agiven user may be performed by the automatic action execution moduleduring a period and/or at a frequency as determined by the automaticaction determination module for the given user. In some exemplaryimplementations, the user interactions automatically executed by theautomatic action execution module may be performed as though they wereinitiated by the users such that other users in the virtual space do notrecognize the users are not participating in the virtual space. In someexemplary implementations, the automatic execution of the userinteractions by the automatic action execution module may merely modifythe virtual space state as results of the user interactions withoutreally executing the user interactions.

These and other features, and characteristics of the present technology,as well as the methods of operation and functions of the relatedelements of structure and the combination of parts and economies ofmanufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of thefollowing description and the appended claims with reference to theaccompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification,wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in thevarious figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that thedrawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only andare not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. As usedin the specification and in the claims, the singular form of “a”, “an”,and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictatesotherwise.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a system configured to facilitate automatic userinteraction execution in a virtual space.

FIG. 2 illustrates one example of monitoring user interactions fordeterminations of automatic execution of the user interactions in thevirtual space by using the system shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates one example of determining user interactions to beautomatically executed on behalf of a user of the system shown in FIG. 1while the user not in the virtual space.

FIG. 4 illustrates one example of automatically executing the userinteractions determined in FIG. 3 for the user.

FIG. 5 illustrates a method 500 of facilitating automatic execution ofuser interaction with an instance of virtual space in accordance withthe virtual space.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a system 100 configured to facilitate automatic userinteraction execution in a virtual space. Providing the virtual spacemay include hosting the virtual space over a network. In someimplementations, system 100 may include a server 102. The server 102 maybe configured to communicate with one or more client computing platforms104 according to a client/server architecture. The users may accesssystem 100 and/or the virtual space via client computing platforms 104.The computer program modules may include one or more of a space module112, user module 114, user interaction module 116, automatic actiondetermination module 118, automatic action execution module 120, and/orother modules.

The space module 112 may be configured to implement the instance of thevirtual space executed by the computer modules to determine state of thevirtual space. The state may then be communicated (e.g., via streamingvisual data, via object/position data, and/or other state information)from server 102 to client computing platforms 104 for presentation tousers. The state determined and transmitted to a given client computingplatform 104 may correspond to a view for a user character beingcontrolled by a user via the given client computing platform 104. Thestate determined and transmitted to a given client computing platform104 may correspond to a location in the virtual space. The viewdescribed by the state for the given client computing platform maycorrespond, for example, to the location from which the view is taken,the location the view depicts, and/or other locations, a zoom ratio, adimensionality of objects, a point-of-view, and/or view parameters ofthe view. One or more of the view parameters may be selectable by theuser.

The instance of the virtual space may comprise a simulated space that isaccessible by users via clients (e.g., client computing platforms 104)that present the views of the virtual space to a user. The simulatedspace may have a topography, express ongoing real-time interaction byone or more users, and/or include one or more objects positioned withinthe topography that are capable of locomotion within the topography. Insome instances, the topography may be a 2-dimensional topography. Inother instances, the topography may be a 3-dimensional topography. Thetopography may include dimensions of the space, and/or surface featuresof a surface or objects that are “native” to the space. In someinstances, the topography may describe a surface (e.g., a groundsurface) that runs through at least a substantial portion of the space.In some instances, the topography may describe a volume with one or morebodies positioned therein (e.g., a simulation of gravity-deprived spacewith one or more celestial bodies positioned therein). The instanceexecuted by the computer modules may be synchronous, asynchronous,and/or semi-synchronous.

The above description of the manner in which state of the virtual spaceis determined by space module 112 is not intended to be limiting. Thespace module 112 may be configured to express the virtual space in amore limited, or more rich, manner. For example, views determined forthe virtual space representing the state of the instance of the virtualspace may be selected from a limited set of graphics depicting an eventin a given place within the virtual space. The views may includeadditional content (e.g., text, audio, pre-stored video content, and/orother content) that describes particulars of the current state of theplace, beyond the relatively generic graphics. For example, a view mayinclude a generic battle graphic with a textual description of theopponents to be confronted. Other expressions of individual placeswithin the virtual space are contemplated.

Within the instance(s) of the virtual space executed by space module112, users may control characters, objects, simulated physical phenomena(e.g., wind, rain, earthquakes, and/or other phenomena), and/or otherelements within the virtual space to interact with the virtual spaceand/or each other. The user characters may include avatars. As usedherein, the term “user character” may refer to an object (or group ofobjects) present in the virtual space that represents an individualuser. The user character may be controlled by the user with which it isassociated. The user controlled element(s) may move through and interactwith the virtual space (e.g., non-user characters in the virtual space,other objects in the virtual space). The user controlled elementscontrolled by and/or associated with a given user may be created and/orcustomized by the given user. The user may have an “inventory” ofvirtual goods and/or currency that the user can use (e.g., bymanipulation of a user character or other user controlled element,and/or other items) within the virtual space.

The users may participate in the instance of the virtual space bycontrolling one or more of the available user controlled elements in thevirtual space. Control may be exercised through control inputs and/orcommands input by the users through client computing platforms 104. Theusers may interact with each other through communications exchangedwithin the virtual space. Such communications may include one or more oftextual chat, instant messages, private messages, voice communications,and/or other communications. Communications may be received and enteredby the users via their respective client computing platforms 104.Communications may be routed to and from the appropriate users throughserver 102 (e.g., through space module 112).

Participation in the instance of the virtual space may be initiated byusers by inputting commands through client computing platforms 104 forrequesting the user interactions. The commands may be executed in thevirtual space such that the requested user interactions may beeffectuated in the virtual space. For example, the user may inputcommands to undertake specific deeds, actions, functions, or sphere ofactions within the virtual space. The commands may specify inputsrelated to virtual space activities provided by the virtual space.Examples of virtual space activities provided by the instance of virtualspace may include constructing, upgrading, demolishing buildings,harvesting, gathering, healing, spell casting, training, marching,reinforcing, reassigning, recruiting, arranging formations, transportingtroops, attacking, developing, creating, demolishing and/or defendingcities, realms, kingdoms, and/or any other virtual space locationentities, crafting or transporting virtual items, attacking, and/orinteracting with non-player characters (NPCs herein-after) and/or otheruser characters, researching for skills levels, experiences, miningand/or prospecting for virtual resources, completing missions, quests,and/or campaigns, and/or any other activities provided by the virtualspace. In some examples, the activities provided by the virtual spacemay facilitate the user to compete elements and/or objects in anenvironment within the virtual space—i.e., PvE activities. In someexamples, the activities provided by the virtual space may facilitatethe user to compete against one another within the virtual space—i.e.,PvP activities.

Some virtual space activities may require consumption of virtualresources, such as but not limited to, stone, wood, gold, minerals(e.g., iron, ore, oil, crystal, coal, etc.), plants, food, currencies(virtual and/or real currencies), improvement resource (e.g., healthprovided by fountain of youth, wisdom provided by tree of wisdom,speed-up provided by hour-glass, etc.) and/or any other virtualresources appropriate for the virtual space activities. During thevirtual space activities, an amount of the resources required by thevirtual space activities may be increased or decreased in the userinventory to reflect a consumption (including exhaustion) or procurementof the resources in the virtual space by the user.

Some virtual space activities may require time durations for them tocomplete within the virtual space. Length of time durations required bydifferent virtual space activities may vary based on various factorsspecific to the virtual space activities. For example, constructing alevel 1 wall in the virtual space may require 30 minutes build time;constructing a level 2 wall may require 1 hour build time; constructinga level 3 wall may require 2 hour build time; constructing a level 4wall may require 3 hour build time; and so on. Such required durationfor an activity to complete within the virtual space may be shortened byuser consumption of virtual items and/or resources. For example,hourglasses may be provided to users to shorten build time of a wall byvarious amount of time.

The virtual space activities may require user inputs from the users tofacilitate participation of the activities by the users. As a virtualspace activity progresses within the virtual space, one or more eventswithin the virtual space may occur in relation to the virtual spaceactivity. For example, during a troop marching activity engaged by auser, troops may be fatigued due to marching over unexpected treacherousterrains and therefore require morale boost to be provided by the user,e.g., by consuming virtual space resources. In another example, during amining activity engaged by the user, NPC intruders (e.g., barbarians)may roam around the mines owned by the user and thus require the user totransport troops to defend the mines.

Within the instance of the virtual space, skills may be acquired by theusers to undertake the virtual space activities. The skills acquired bythe users may be tangibly represented as abilities learned by usercharacters associated with the users, e.g., attacking, defending,healing, spell casting, leadership, and/or any other skills. Provider,administrator, moderator, and/or any other entities related to thevirtual space may organize virtual space skills into different types,e.g., gathering, harvesting, attacking, healing, defending, and so on.Within an individual type of skills, sub-types may be furtherclassified, and within an individual sub-type, further sub-types may beclassified, and so on. Within a type or sub-type of skills, skill levelsmay be established to classify adeptness of the type or the sub-type ofthe skills, likelihood of the user is to succeed with the type orsub-type of skills, possible consequences of the type or sub-type ofskills, and/or any other aspects of the type or sub-type of skills.

The users may participate in the instance of the virtual space throughvirtual space sessions. A virtual space session includes completeactivities and actions of a user within the virtual space, from the veryfirst user action when the user joins the virtual space for the firsttime to the last user action before the user stops participating in thevirtual space for good. Accordingly, a virtual space session typicallyfinishes when a user decides to stop interacting with the virtual spacefor good or when provider, administrator, moderator, and/or any otherentities related to the virtual space stop providing the virtual spaceto users for good. However, this is not necessary the only case, avirtual space session may finish, in some examples, when one or moreevents or virtual space conditions have occurred and/or when one or moreobjectives have been achieved or not achieved by the user as determinedby the provider, administrator, moderator, and/or any other entitiesrelated to the virtual space. For example, a virtual space session mayfinish when the user has killed the last monster in the virtual space;has achieved an ultimate goal in the virtual space; fails to achievecertain score or experience level within predetermined time; the usercharacter has been killed in the virtual space; and so on.

A virtual space session may include one or more play sessions duringwhich a user participates in the virtual space. That is, the time forthe user to complete a virtual space session may be divided into severaldifferent occasions—i.e., different play sessions. In some examples, aplay session may start from when a user logs into and finish when theuser logs off system 100 in one occurrence. However, this is notnecessary the only case. A player session may be determined by provider,administrator, moderator, and/or any other entities related to thevirtual space in however measurements as desired. For example, a playsession may be measured by frequencies of user participation inactivities within the virtual space such that a play session finisheswhen the user stops participating activities for a period of time over apredetermined threshold.

The user module 114 may be configured to access and/or manage one ormore user profiles and/or user information associated with users of thesystem 100. The one or more user profiles and/or user information mayinclude information stored by server 102, one or more of the clientcomputing platforms 104, and/or other storage locations. The userprofiles may include, for example, information identifying users (e.g.,a username or handle, a number, an identifier, and/or other identifyinginformation) within the virtual space, security login information (e.g.,a login code or password), virtual space account information,subscription information, virtual currency account information (e.g.,related to currency held in credit for a user), relationship information(e.g., information related to relationships between users in the virtualspace), virtual space usage information, demographic informationassociated with users, interaction history among users in the virtualspace, information stated by users, purchase information of users,browsing history of users, a client computing platform identificationassociated with a user, a phone number associated with a user, and/orother information related to users. The user information managed by theuser module 114 may include information indicating levels of interactionwith the virtual space by individual users. The interaction level of anindividual user as indicated in such information may reflect an amountof interaction with the virtual space by the individual user.

The user interaction module 116 may be configured to monitorinteractions of the users with the virtual space and/or with one anotherwithin the virtual space. This may include monitoring, for a given user,one or more of times at which the given user is logged in to the virtualspace, areas of the virtual space the given user views or interacts withor in, other users the given user interacts with, the nature and/orcontent of interactions of the given user with other users, activitiesparticipated in within the virtual space, level, powers, or skillattained in the virtual space, inventory items obtained in the virtualspace, and/or other interactions of the given user with the virtualspace and/or other users. Some or all of the information generated byuser interaction module 116 in monitoring the interactions of the usersmay be stored to the user profiles managed by a user module 114.

At a given time, user interaction module 114 may determine a set ofusers that are currently engaged with the virtual space and/or a set ofusers that are currently not engaged with the virtual space. Beingengaged with the virtual space may refer to being logged in to thevirtual space, performing some action or interaction within the virtualspace within some period of time (e.g., the last 2 minutes of thecurrent play session), and/or other taking some other action indicatingongoing and contemporaneous engagement with the virtual space.

In some exemplary implementations, the user interaction module 116 maybe configured to determine, for individual users, an activity metricthat indicates an activity level within the virtual space. The activitymetric may be determined based on one or more of log in frequency,amount of time logged in to the virtual space within a rolling timeperiod (e.g., over the last day, week, month, or other rolling timeperiod), average amount of time logged in to the virtual space over somelength of time (e.g., per day, per week, and/or other length of time),average log in session time over a rolling time period, number ofinter-user communications over a length of time, number of inter-usercommunications per log in, number of relationships with other users inthe virtual space, number of new relationships with other users in thevirtual space within a rolling time period, amount of real world moneyspent in the virtual space, and/or other activity parameters.

The user interaction module 116 may be configured to obtain userinteraction information reflecting previous user interactions with thevirtual space for a given user. The obtained user interactioninformation for the given user may indicate interactions by the givenusers as monitored and recorded by the user interaction module 116previously, e.g., during a past real-world time period or virtual spaceperiod. For example, the user interaction information obtained for thegiven user may indicate user interactions by the given user in the last5 days, last month, last 3 months, last 5 play sessions, last 50 playsessions, and so on. In some exemplary implementations, the quantity ofuser interactions to be obtained in the user interaction information forthe given user by the user interaction module 116 may be configured bythe provider, administrator, moderator, and/or any other entitiesrelated to the virtual space as desired. For example, the userinteraction module 116 may be configured to obtain all of the userinteractions in the last 5 days or last 5 play sessions by the givenuser, first 20 user interaction by the given user on each day of thelast 5 days, first 20 user interactions by the given user in each of thelast 5 sessions, first 5 minute user interactions by the given user oneach day of the last 5 days, first 5 minute user interactions by thegiven user in each of the last 5 play sessions.

In some exemplary implementations, user interaction module 116 may beconfigured to determine patterns of user interactions with the virtualspace based on the obtained user interaction information. The patternsof user interactions determined by the user interaction module 116 mayreflect routines that appeared in the user interactions, playing stylesby which the users interact with the virtual space, one or more useractions undertaken by users with certain frequencies, and/or any otherpatterns of the user interactions. For example, the user interactioninformation obtained by the user interaction module 116 for a given usermay indicate that the given user upgrades the level of a knightcontrolled by the given user as the first interaction during the givenuser's participation in the virtual space whenever the knight may beupdated in the virtual space (e.g., resources and/or experience pointsfor upgrading the knight to the next level have been acquired by theuser). In some examples, the determined user patterns by the userinteraction module 116 may include multiple user interactions reflectingroutines undertaken by users during play sessions. For example, the userinteraction information obtained for a given user may indicate that thegiven user typically undertake a routine in the following order in thefirst 5 minute of a play session: builds 5 farms to increase food supplyfor the cities controlled by the given user, recruits availableconscripts in the user's cities to armies controlled by the user,adjusts tax rate to adapt to the increased population in the user'scities, assign idle population (e.g., the dwellers in the cities grownbetween user's play sessions) to farming, lumbering, and engineeringactivities engaged by the given user in the virtual space, trains hisarmies with resources gathered during the period from the last playsession, upgrades a knight controlled by the given user whenever such anupgrade is first available to the user and/or any other userinteractions that may be engaged by the user in the play session.

In some examples, the determination of the patterns of user interactionsby the user interaction module 116 may be based on interaction levels ofthe users in the virtual space. For example, for a given user, variousparameters, such as, types of user interactions (e.g. harvest, farming,gathering, training, building, etc.), frame of examination (e.g. firstfive minutes of play sessions of interest), a quantity of interactionsto be examined (e.g. first 100 actions), interactions with certainfrequency to be examined (e.g., actions performed by users at leasttwice in the frame of examination), interactions with certain durationto be examined (e.g. actions performed in the frame of examination thattake at least 20 minute to complete), and/or any other parameters forexamining the user interactions for examining the obtained userinteraction information may be made based on the interaction level ofthe given user in the virtual space. For instance, for an interactionlevel 1 user, the pattern of user interactions may be determined basedon first 10 harvest interactions by the level 1 users in the first 45minute of individual play sessions of interest by the interaction level1 user; for an interaction level 2 user, the pattern of userinteractions may be determined based on first 20 harvest and gatheringinteractions by the interaction level 2 users in the first 60 minute ofindividual play sessions of interest by the interaction level 2 user;for an interaction level 3 user, the pattern of user interactions may bedetermined based on first 30 harvest, gathering, and craftinginteractions by the interaction level 3 user in the first 90 minute ofindividual play sessions of interest by the interaction level 3 user;and so on.

The automatic action determination module 118 may be configured todetermine user interactions to be automatically executed in the virtualspace on behalf of users while users are not participating in thevirtual space. The user interactions to be automatically executed in thevirtual space may be determined by the automatic action determinationmodule 118 based on the user interaction information obtained by theuser interaction module 116. For determining automatic execution of userinteractions by a given user, the automatic action determination module118 may examine the user interaction information and determine one ormore user interactions may be automatically executed in the virtualspace while the given user not participating in the virtual space (e.g.,not logged in the virtual space) based on the result of suchexaminations.

In some exemplary implementations, the automatic action determinationmodule 118 may be configured such that the determination of theautomatic execution of the user interaction by the automatic actiondetermination module 118 may include a selection of one or more types ofuser interactions by the given user to be automatically executed onbehalf of the given user while the user not participating in the virtualspace. Examples of interaction types that may be selected by theautomatic action determination module 118 may include farming, crafting,engineering, mining, resource gathering (e.g., tree chopping, herbalcollection), skinning, jewel crafting, leather working, fishing,cooking, healing, and/or any other user interaction types. In thoseexemplary implementations, according to the interaction types selectedby the automatic action determination module 118, the automatic actiondetermination module 118 may determine certain user interactionscorresponding to the selected interaction types to be automaticallyexecuted in the virtual space on behalf of the given user while the usernot participating in the virtual space.

In some examples, the selection of such interaction types may be madebased on the interaction level of the given user in the virtual space.For example, rules may be predetermined by a provider of the virtualspace and configured into the automatic action determination module 118such that automatic action determination module 118 may determineautomatic execution of harvesting interactions by interaction level 1users while the interaction level 1 users are not participating in thevirtual space; automatic execution of harvesting and gatheringinteractions by interaction level 2 users, harvesting, gathering, andcrafting interactions by interaction level 3 users, harvesting,gathering, crafting and farming by interaction level 4 users and so on.

In some exemplary implementations, the automatic action determinationmodule 118 may be configured such that the determination of the userinteractions to be automatically executed in the virtual space on behalfof the given user may include a determination of a quantity of the userinteractions to be automatically executed. For example, the automaticaction determination module 118 may determine that, for a given user, 20user interactions may be automatically executed in the virtual space onbehalf of the given user while the given user not participating in thevirtual space. In some examples, such determinations by the automaticaction determination module 118 may be made for the given user based onthe interaction level of the given user in the virtual space. By way ofa non-limiting example, the automatic action determination module 118may be configured to determine that 10 user interactions by interactionlevel 1 users may be automatically executed in the virtual space whilethe interaction level 1 users not participating in the virtual space;that 20 user interactions by interaction level 2 users may beautomatically executed in the virtual space while the interaction level2 users not participating in the virtual space; that 30 userinteractions by interaction level 3 users may be automatically executedin the virtual space while the interaction level 3 users notparticipating in the virtual space; and so on.

In some exemplary implementations, the automatic action determinationmodule 118 may be configured such that the determination of the userinteractions to be automatically executed in the virtual space on behalfof the given user may include a determination of duration during whichthe determined user interactions are to be so automatically executed.The duration determined by the automatic action determination module 118may include real-world time period, such as, a specific time periodwhile the given user not participating in the virtual space. Forexample, the automatic action determination module 118 may determinethat the determined user interactions are to be automatically executedon behalf of the given user in the virtual space between 4:00 AM to 5:00AM in the morning while the given user participating in the virtualspace.

In some examples, such determinations may be based on interaction levelsof the users. For example, the automatic action determination module 118may determine that the automatic execution of the determined userinteractions by interaction level 1 users may be performed between 6:00PM and 7:00 PM on behalf of the interaction level 1 users while theinteraction level 1 users not participating in the virtual space; thatthe automatic execution of the determined user interactions byinteraction level 2 users may be performed between 5:00 PM and the 7:00PM on behalf of the interaction level 2 users while the interactionlevel 2 users not participating in the virtual space; that the automaticexecution of the determined user interactions by interaction level 3users may be performed between 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM on behalf of theinteraction level 3 users where the interaction level 3 usersparticipating in the virtual space; and so on.

In some exemplary implementations, the automatic action determinationmodule 118 may be configured such that the determination of the userinteractions to be automatically executed in the virtual space on behalfof the given user may include a determination of frequencies at whichthe determined user interactions are to be automatically executed. Sucha frequency determined by the automatic action determination module 118may specify a number of times of the automatic execution of thedetermined user interaction may be performed, e.g., by the automaticaction execution module 120, within the virtual space while the givenuser not participating in the virtual space. For example, the automaticaction determination module 118 may determine, for a given user, thatthe determined user interactions may be automatically executed in thevirtual space on behalf of the given user 3 times a day by the user theparticipating in the virtual space.

In some examples, such determinations by the automatic actiondetermination module 118 may be made based on the interaction level ofthe given user in the virtual space. For example, the automatic actiondetermination module 118 may determine that the automatic execution ofthe determined user interactions by interaction level 1 users may beperformed once a day while the interaction level 1 users notparticipating in the virtual space; that the automatic execution of thedetermined user interactions by interaction level 2 users may beperformed twice a day while the interaction level 2 users notparticipating in the virtual space; that the automatic execution of thedetermined user interactions interaction level 3 users may be performed3 times a day while the interaction level 3 users not participating inthe virtual space; and so on.

In some exemplary examples, the automatic user action determinationmodule 118 may be configured to determine amounts of virtual resourcesto be exhausted during the automatic execution of the determined userinteractions. One or more types of virtual resources, such as, but notlimited to, gems, stones, lumber, oil, and any other virtual resources,may be exhausted during the automatic execution of the user interactionsby a given user as determined by the automatic action determinationmodule 118. The virtual resources exhausted by the automatic actiondetermination module 118 may be in addition to those exhausted by theautomatically executed user interactions during their normal courses.For example, the automatic action determination module 118 may determinethat 500 stones may be exhausted during the automatic execution of theuser interactions determined by automatic action determination module118, which may exhaust certain amount of virtual resources includingstones as required by the virtual space activities involved in thoseuser interactions, while the given user not participating in the virtualspace.

In some examples, such determinations by the automatic actiondetermination module 118 may be made based on the interaction level ofthe given user in the virtual space. For example, the automatic actiondetermination module 118 may determine that the automatic execution ofthe determined user interactions by level 1 users may exhaust 1000stones; that the automatic execution of the determined user interactionsby level 2 users may exhaust 500 stones; that the automatic execution ofthe determined user interactions an interaction level 3 users mayexhaust 250 stones; and so on.

In some exemplary implementations, the automatic user actiondetermination module 118 may be configured such that the determinationsof types of, quantities of, durations of, frequencies of, and/or virtualspace resources exhausted by the user interactions to be automaticallyexecuted in the virtual space on behalf of the users while the users notparticipating in the virtual space are based on quantities of virtualand/or real-world items spent by the users for automatically executingthe determined user interactions. For example, the provider of thevirtual space may determine that a given user may schedule automaticexecution of the user interactions determined by the automatic actiondetermination module 118 for certain amount of virtual items and/orreal-world currencies. For instance, it may be determined that a usermay spend 10 gems, or $4.99 to the schedule the automatic execution ofthe user interactions determined by the automatic action determinationmodule 118.

In some exemplary implementations, the automatic action determinationmodule 118 may be configured such that the determinations of the userinteractions to be automatically executed in the virtual space on behalfof the users may be based on the user interaction patterns determined bythe user interaction module 116. For example, the user interactionpattern determined by the user interaction module 116 for a given usermay indicate a routine undertaken by the given user with high frequency(for example, during 70% of the given user's play sessions, the givenuser undertakes this routine). In that example, the determination of theautomatic execution of the user interactions by the automatic actiondetermination module 118 may be based on such a routine. For example,user interactions of certain interaction types in this routine, e.g.,gathering and harvesting, may be determined by the automatic actiondetermination module 118 to be automatically executed in the virtualspace while the given user not participating in the virtual space.

The automatic action execution module 120 may be configured toautomatically execute, in the virtual space, the user interactionsdetermined by the automatic action determination module 118. In someexemplary implementations, such automatic executions of userinteractions for a given user may be performed by the automatic actionexecution module 120 during a period and/or at a frequency as determinedby the automatic action determination module 118 for the given user. Insome exemplary implementations, the user interactions automaticallyexecuted by the automatic action execution module 120 may be performedas though there were initiated by the users such that other users in thevirtual space do not easily recognize the users are not participating inthe virtual space. In some exemplary implementations, the automaticexecution of the user interactions by the automatic action executionmodule 120 may merely modify the virtual space state as the result ofthe user interactions without really executing the user interactions.For example, in case where the automatic execution the user interactionsinvolve building 5 farms for the given user, the automatic actionexecution module 120 may request the 5 farms to be recorded in an objectdatabase as being owned by the given user without executing the buildingof the 5 farms in normal courses, which may take e.g., 30 minutes tocomplete.

The server 102, client computing platforms 104, and/or externalresources 106 may be operatively linked via one or more electroniccommunication links. For example, such electronic communication linksmay be established, at least in part, via a network such as the Internetand/or other networks. It will be appreciated that this is not intendedto be limiting, and that the scope of this disclosure includesimplementations in which servers 102, client computing platforms 104,and/or external resources 106 may be operatively linked via some othercommunication media.

A given client computing platform 104 may include one or more processorsconfigured to execute computer program modules. The computer programmodules may be configured to enable an expert or user associated withthe given client computing platform 104 to interface with system 100and/or external resources 106, and/or provide other functionalityattributed herein to client computing platforms 104. By way ofnon-limiting example, the given client computing platform 104 mayinclude one or more of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a handheldcomputer, a tablet computing platform, a NetBook, a Smartphone, a gamingconsole, and/or other computing platforms.

The external resources 106 may include sources of information, hostsand/or providers of virtual environments outside of system 100, externalentities participating with system 100, and/or other resources. In someimplementations, some or all of the functionality attributed herein toexternal resources 106 may be provided by resources included in system100.

The server 102 may include electronic storage 110, one or moreprocessors 108, and/or other components. The server 102 may includecommunication lines, or ports to enable the exchange of information witha network and/or other computing platforms. Illustration of server 102in FIG. 1 is not intended to be limiting. The server 102 may include aplurality of hardware, software, and/or firmware components operatingtogether to provide the functionality attributed herein to server 102.For example, server 102 may be implemented by a cloud of computingplatforms operating together as server 102.

Electronic storage 110 may comprise electronic storage media thatelectronically stores information. The electronic storage media ofelectronic storage 110 may include one or both of system storage that isprovided integrally (i.e., substantially non-removable) with server 102and/or removable storage that is removably connectable to server 102via, for example, a port (e.g., a USB port, a firewire port, etc.) or adrive (e.g., a disk drive, etc.). Electronic storage 110 may include oneor more of optically readable storage media (e.g., optical disks, etc.),magnetically readable storage media (e.g., magnetic tape, magnetic harddrive, floppy drive, etc.), electrical charge-based storage media (e.g.,EEPROM, RAM, etc.), solid-state storage media (e.g., flash drive, etc.),and/or other electronically readable storage media. The electronicstorage 110 may include one or more virtual storage resources (e.g.,cloud storage, a virtual private network, and/or other virtual storageresources). Electronic storage 110 may store software algorithms,information determined by processor 108, information received fromserver 102, information received from client computing platforms 104,and/or other information that enables server 102 to function asdescribed herein.

(56) Processor(s) 108 is configured to provide information processingcapabilities in server 102. As such, processor 108 may include one ormore of a digital processor, an analog processor, a digital circuitdesigned to process information, an analog circuit designed to processinformation, a state machine, and/or other mechanisms for electronicallyprocessing information. Although processor 108 is shown in FIG. 1 as asingle entity, this is for illustrative purposes only. In someimplementations, processor 108 may include a plurality of processingunits. These processing units may be physically located within the samedevice, or processor 108 may represent processing functionality of aplurality of devices operating in coordination. The processor 108 may beconfigured to execute modules 112, 114, 116, 118, 120. Processor 108 maybe configured to execute modules 112, 114, 116, 118, 120 by software;hardware; firmware; some combination of software, hardware, and/orfirmware; and/or other mechanisms for configuring processingcapabilities on processor 108.

It should be appreciated that although modules 112, 114, 116, 118, 120are illustrated in FIG. 1 as being co-located within a single processingunit, in implementations in which processor 108 includes multipleprocessing units, one or more of modules 112, 114, 116, 118, 120 may belocated remotely from the other modules. The description of thefunctionality provided by the different modules 112, 114, 116, 118, 120described below is for illustrative purposes, and is not intended to belimiting, as any of modules 112, 114, 116, 118, 120 may provide more orless functionality than is described. For example, one or more ofmodules 112, 114, 116, 118, 120 may be eliminated, and some or all ofits functionality may be provided by other ones of modules 112, 114,116, 118, 120. As another example, processor 108 may be configured toexecute one or more additional modules that may perform some or all ofthe functionality attributed below to one of modules 112, 114, 116, 118,120.

FIG. 2 illustrates one example of monitoring user interactions fordeterminations of automatic execution of the user interactions in thevirtual space by using the system 100 shown in FIG. 1. It will bedescribed with references to FIG. 1. In this example, as illustrated,users 202 associated with client computer platforms 104 may initiatevirtual space commands 204 to interact with the virtual space. As shown,the virtual space commands initiated by the users 202 may be received bythe server 102. User interactions 206 initiated by the commands 204 maybe monitored and recorded by the server 102 for individual users in thevirtual space as shown.

FIG. 3 illustrates one example of determining user interactions to beautomatically executed on behalf of a user of the system 100 shown inFIG. 1 while the user not in the virtual space. It will be describedwith references to FIGS. 1-2. As shown in this examples, variousparameters 302 of the determination of the automatic execution of theuser interaction for a user, e.g., user 1 in this example, may beconfigured into server 102, e.g., via the automatic action determinationmodule. As shown, the parameters 302 may be adjusted by parameters 304,i.e. the interaction level of the user 1, the virtual items and/orreal-world currencies spent by user 1 for the determination of theautomatic execution of the user interactions. As shown, the parameters302 may be used by the server 102, e.g., via an automatic actionexecution module 120, to determine one or more user interactions 204 tobe automatically executed in the virtual space as automatic userinteractions 306.

FIG. 4 illustrates one example of automatically executing the userinteractions determined in FIG. 3 for the user. It will be describedwith references to FIGS. 1-3. As shown, the to-be automatic executeduser 1's interactions 306 may be executed on behalf the user 1 duringperiods of 404 when user 1 is not participating in the virtual space. Asalso shown, the automatic execution of the user 1's interactions 306 maybe performed during those periods in accordance with various automaticexecution parameters 302 determined by the server 102.

FIG. 5 illustrates a method 500 of facilitating automatic execution ofuser interaction with an instance of virtual space in accordance withthe virtual space. The operations of method 500 presented below areintended to be illustrative. In some embodiments, method 500 may beaccomplished with one or more additional operations not described,and/or without one or more of the operations discussed. Additionally,the order in which the operations of method xx are illustrated in FIG. 5and described below is not intended to be limiting.

In some embodiments, method 500 may be implemented in one or moreprocessing devices (e.g., a digital processor, an analog processor, adigital circuit designed to process information, an analog circuitdesigned to process information, a state machine, and/or othermechanisms for electronically processing information). The one or moreprocessing devices may include one or more devices executing some or allof the operations of method 500 in response to instructions storedelectronically on an electronic storage medium. The one or moreprocessing devices may include one or more devices configured throughhardware, firmware, and/or software to be specifically designed forexecution of one or more of the operations of method 500.

At an operation 502, an instance of a virtual space may be executed andimplemented to determine view information for transmission to one ormore client computing platforms associated with users. The users mayinteract with the virtual space by initiating virtual space commands.The users may include a first user. The first user may control a firstentity. In some implementations, operation 502 may be performed by aspace module the same as or similar to space module 112 (shown in FIG. 1and described herein).

At an operation 504, user accounts associated with the users may bemanaged. The user accounts may include a first account associated withthe first user. The first account may include a first set of userparameters that correspond to the first user. In some implementations,operation 504 may be performed by a user module the same as or similarto user module 114 (shown in FIG. 1 and described herein).

At an operation 506, user interactions with the instance of the virtualspace may be monitored. This may include monitoring, for a given user,one or more of times at which the given user is logged in to the virtualspace, areas of the virtual space the given user views or interacts withor in, other users the given user interacts with, the nature and/orcontent of interactions of the given user with other users, activitiesparticipated in within the virtual space, level, powers, or skillattained in the virtual space, inventory items obtained in the virtualspace, and/or other interactions of the given user with the virtualspace and/or other users. In some implementations, operation 506 may beperformed by a user interaction module 116 the same as or similar touser interaction module 116 (shown in FIG. 1 and described herein).

At an operation of 508, interaction information reflecting previous userinteractions by a user in the virtual space and level informationindicating an interaction level of the user may be obtained. The userinteraction information of the user obtained in operation 508 mayindicate interactions by the user as monitored in operation 506previously, e.g., during a past real-world time period or virtual spaceperiod. The level information obtained in operation 508 may reflect anamount of interactions with the virtual space that has been engaged inby the user. In some implementations, operation 508 may be performed bya user interaction module 116 the same as or similar to user interactionmodule 116 (shown in FIG. 1 and described herein).

At an operation 510, parameters for examining the interactioninformation of the user obtained in operation 508 may be determined. Theparameters determined in operation 610 may include one or more types ofuser interactions by the user, a frame of examination (e.g., first 5minutes of user interactions in each play session by the user), aquantity of user interactions to be examined, interactions with certainfrequencies, interactions for certain duration, and/or any otherparameters for examining the user interactions indicated in the obtaineduser interaction information. In some implementations, operation 510 maybe performed by a user interaction 116 the same as or similar to userinteraction module 116 (shown in FIG. 1 and described herein).

At an operation 512, a pattern of user interactions by the user may bedetermined based on the user interaction information obtained inoperation 508 in accordance with the parameters determined in operation510. In some examples, the pattern of user interaction by the user maybe determined further based on level information obtained in operation508. In some implementations, operation 512 may be performed by a userinteraction 116 the same as or similar to user interaction module 116(shown in FIG. 1 and described herein).

At an operation 514, user interactions to be automatically executed onbehalf the user while the user not participating in the virtual spacemay be determined. The determination of the automatic execution of theuser interaction by the user in operation 514 may include a selection ofone or more types of user interactions to be automatically executed, adetermination of a quantity of the user interactions to be automaticallyexecuted, a determination of duration during which the determined userinteractions are to be automatically executed, a determination of one ormore frequencies at which the determined user interactions are to beautomatically executed, and/or any other sub-operations. In someexamples, the determination in operation 514 may be based on the levelinformation obtained in operation 508. In some implementations,operation 514 may be performed by an automatic action determinationmodule the same as or similar to automatic action determination module118 (shown in FIG. 1 and described herein).

At an operation 516, the user interactions determined in operation 514may be automatically executed in the virtual space on behalf of theuser. In some implementations, operation 516 may be performed by anautomatic action execution module 120 the same as or similar toautomatic action execution module 120 (shown in FIG. 1 and describedherein).

Although the system(s) and/or method(s) of this disclosure have beendescribed in detail for the purpose of illustration based on what iscurrently considered to be the most practical and preferredimplementations, it is to be understood that such detail is solely forthat purpose and that the disclosure is not limited to the disclosedimplementations, but, on the contrary, is intended to covermodifications and equivalent arrangements that are within the spirit andscope of the appended claims. For example, it is to be understood thatthe present disclosure contemplates that, to the extent possible, one ormore features of any implementation can be combined with one or morefeatures of any other implementation.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for automatically executing userinteractions in a virtual space, the system comprising: one or morephysical processors configured by machine-readable instructions to:execute an instance of the virtual space, to implement the instance ofthe virtual space by receiving and executing commands to facilitate userinteractions of individual users with the virtual space, wherein theuser interactions are monitored, and to determine view information forpresentations of the virtual space on client computing platforms throughspace interfaces to facilitate user actions in the virtual space;determine, based on the monitoring, amounts of interaction of theindividual users within the virtual space while participating in thevirtual space, the amounts of interaction including a first amount ofinteraction for a first user that reflects an amount of interactionwithin the virtual space by the first user; determine types ofinteractions performed by the individual users within the virtual space,the types of interactions including a first type of interactionsperformed by the first user within the virtual space; manage useraccounts associated with the individual users in the virtual spacecomprising user information, the user accounts including userinventories, the user accounts including a first user account associatedwith the first user and including a first user inventory; determinepatterns of interactions of the individual users by examining pastinteractions of the individual users, wherein determinations of thepatterns of interactions are based on the amounts of interaction of theindividual users and the types of interactions performed by theindividual users, wherein the patterns of interactions include a firstpattern of interactions of the first user, wherein determination of thefirst pattern of interactions is based on a first examination of a firstquantity of past interactions of the first user while participating inthe virtual space, wherein the determination of the first pattern ofinteractions is further based on the first type of interactions;determine automated user interactions based on the patterns ofinteractions of the individual users, wherein the automated userinteractions are to be automatically executed in the virtual space onbehalf of the individual users while the individual users are notparticipating in the virtual space, such that first automated userinteractions to be automatically executed in the virtual space on behalfof the first user are determined based on the first pattern ofinteractions; and automatically execute, in the virtual space, theautomated user interactions as determined, such that the first automateduser interactions are automatically executed in the virtual space onbehalf of the first user.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one ormore physical processors are further configured by machine-readableinstructions such that the determination of the first automated userinteractions includes a selection of a type of virtual spaceinteractions to be automatically executed on behalf of the first userwhile the first user is not participating in the virtual space.
 3. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical processors arefurther configured by machine-readable instructions such that thedetermination of the first automated user interactions includes adetermination of a quantity of user interactions to be automaticallyexecuted on behalf of the first user while the first user is notparticipating in the virtual space.
 4. The system of claim 1, whereinthe one or more physical processors are further configured bymachine-readable instructions such that the determination of the firstautomated user interactions includes a determination of a durationduring which the determined user interactions are to be automaticallyexecuted in the virtual space on behalf the first user while the firstuser is not participating in the virtual space.
 5. The system of claim1, wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured bymachine-readable instructions such that the determination of the firstautomated user interactions includes a determination of a frequency atwhich the first automated user interactions are to be executed in thevirtual space on behalf the first user while the first user is notparticipating in the virtual space.
 6. The system of claim 1, whereinthe determination of the first automated user interactions to beautomatically executed in the virtual space on behalf of the first userwhile the first user is not participating in the virtual space includesdeterminations of: (i) types of the first automated user interactions,(ii) quantities of the first automated user interactions, (iii)durations of the first automated user interactions, (iv) frequencies ofthe first automated user interactions, and/or (v) virtual spaceresources exhausted by the first automated user interactions.
 7. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical processors arefurther configured by machine-readable instructions such that thedeterminations of one or more of the types of the first automated userinteractions, the quantities of the first automated user interactions,the durations of the first automated user interactions, the frequenciesof the first automated user interactions, and/or the virtual spaceresources exhausted by the first automated user interactions are furtherbased on quantities of virtual and/or real-world items spent by thefirst user for automatically executing the first automated userinteractions.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the determined patternsof interactions are based on quantities of past interactions by theindividual users, wherein the quantities are based on the determinedamounts of interactions of the individual users.
 9. The system of claim1, wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured bymachine-readable instructions to automatically update the first useraccount including the first user inventory based on results fromautomatically executing the first automated user interactions.
 10. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical processors arefurther configured by machine-readable instructions such that: the useraccounts include a second user account associated with a second user;the determined patterns includes a second pattern of interactions of thesecond user with the virtual space; second automated user interactionsto be automatically executed in the virtual space on behalf of thesecond user are determined based on the second pattern of interactions;and the second automated user interactions are automatically executed inthe virtual space on behalf of the second user while the second user isnot participating in the virtual space.
 11. A computer-implementedmethod of facilitating automatic execution of user interactions in avirtual space, the method being implemented in one or more physicalprocessors configured by machine-readable instructions, the methodcomprising: executing an instance of a virtual space and facilitatinguser interactions of individual users with the virtual space;monitoring, by the one or more physical processors, the userinteractions; determining, based on the monitoring, amounts ofinteraction of the individual users within the virtual space, theamounts of interaction including a first amount of interaction for afirst user that reflects an amount of interaction within the virtualspace by the first user; determining, by the one or more physicalprocessors, types of interactions performed by the individual userswithin the virtual space, the types of interactions including a firsttype of interactions performed by the first user within the virtualspace; managing user accounts associated with the individual users inthe virtual space comprising user information, the user accountsincluding user inventories, the user accounts including a first useraccount associated with the first user and including a first userinventory; determining, by the one or more physical processors, patternsof interactions of the individual users by examining past interactionsof the individual users, wherein determinations of the patterns ofinteractions are based on the amounts of interaction of the individualusers and the types of interactions performed by the individual users,wherein the patterns include a first pattern of interactions of thefirst user, wherein determination of the first pattern of interactionsis based on a first examination of a first quantity of past interactionsof the first user while participating in the virtual space, wherein thedetermination of the first pattern of interactions is further based onthe first type of interactions; determining, by the one or more physicalprocessors, automated user interactions to be automatically executed inthe virtual space on behalf of the individual users while the individualusers are not participating in the virtual space such that firstautomated user interactions to be automatically executed in the virtualspace on behalf of the first user are determined based on the firstpattern of interactions; and automatically executing, in the virtualspace, the automated user interactions as determined such that the firstautomated user interactions are automatically executed in the virtualspace on behalf of the first user while the first user is notparticipating in the virtual space.
 12. The method of claim 11, whereinthe determination of the first automated user interactions includes aselection of a type of virtual space interactions to be automaticallyexecuted on behalf of the first user while the first user is notparticipating in the virtual space.
 13. The method of claim 11, whereinthe determination of the first automated user interactions includes adetermination of a quantity of user interactions to be automaticallyexecuted on behalf of the first user while the first user is notparticipating in the virtual space.
 14. The method of claim 11, whereinthe determination of the first automated user interactions includes adetermination of a duration during which the determined userinteractions are to be automatically executed in the virtual space onbehalf the first user while the first user is not participating in thevirtual space.
 15. The method of claim 11, wherein the determination ofthe first automated user interactions includes a determination of afrequency at which the first automated user interactions are to beexecuted in the virtual space on behalf the first user while the firstuser is not participating in the virtual space.
 16. The method of claim11, wherein the determination of the first automated user interactionsto be automatically executed in the virtual space on behalf of the firstuser while the first user is not participating in the virtual spaceincludes determinations of: (i) types of the first automated userinteractions, (ii) quantities of the first automated user interactions,(iii) durations of the first automated user interactions, (iv)frequencies of the first automated user interactions, and/or (v) virtualspace resources exhausted by the first automated user interactions. 17.The method of claim 11, wherein the determinations of one or more of thetypes of the first automated user interactions, the quantities of thefirst automated user interactions, the durations of the first automateduser interactions, the frequencies of the first automated userinteractions, and/or the virtual space resources exhausted by the firstautomated user interactions are further based on quantities of virtualand/or real-world items spent by the first user for automaticallyexecuting the first automated user interactions.
 18. The method of claim11, wherein the determined patterns of interactions are based onquantities of past interactions by the individual users, wherein thequantities are based on the determined amounts of interactions of theindividual users.
 19. The method of claim 11, further comprising:automatically updating the first user account including the first userinventory based on results from automatically executing the firstautomated user interactions.
 20. The method of claim 11, wherein theuser accounts includes a second user account associated with a seconduser; the determined patterns include a second pattern of interactionsof the second user with the virtual space; second automated userinteractions to be automatically executed in the virtual space on behalfof the second user are determined based on the second pattern ofinteractions; and the second automated user interactions areautomatically executed in the virtual space on behalf of the second userwhile the second user is not participating in the virtual space.
 21. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the determination of the first automated userinteractions includes determinations of: (i) types of the firstautomated user interactions, (ii) quantities of the first automated userinteractions, (iii) durations of the first automated user interactions,(iv) frequencies of the first automated user interactions, and (v)virtual space resources exhausted by the first automated userinteractions.
 22. The system of claim 1, wherein automatically executingthe first automated user interactions on behalf of the first user isperformed as though the first automated user interactions were initiatedby the first user such that other users in the virtual space do notrecognize that the first user is not participating in the virtual space.